The Proposed “Affordable Housing Overlay District (AHOD) is Bad News for Cambridge’s Homelessness Sector and Mosaic!

Hello everybody, I’m Hasson Rashid, I reside at 820 Massachusetts Avenue, my public comment is concerning Committee Report# 3; CMA#1, and Unfinished Business#8-15, and any other agenda items that relate directly or indirectly to homelessness.

The proposed “Affordable Housing Overlay District (AHOD) is bad news for Cambridge’s homelessness sector and mosaic, because Permanent Supportive Housing is designed to serve the most vulnerable and disadvantage peoples, those experiencing homelessness, living on the fringes of mainstream society. For the homeless the AHOD spells out loud and clear “Not in My Backyard (NIMBY).” As the study, planning and research of the AHOD, stand’s now, not a single unit of affordable housing will be cut or designated directly there for the homelessness, So far the atmosphere in AHOD formulations and planning is filled with nothing but policy barriers and research gaps.

In the last line of CMA Item# 6 it reads as follows “ and other services HUD determines are effective at reducing homelessness.” It is not far fetch to conclude that HUD has mandated other uses on how this HUD funding can be employed, for example the construction and development of permanent supportive homeless housing from the ground up.

Finally, last week my public comment included a brief account of my thinking on CMA Items # 2-9, in regards to appropriating and borrowing, now listed on today’s agenda as Unfinished Business Items# 8-15. I went on official municipal record last week stating the following as I state it once again, “As for Unfinished Business Items 8-15, I wish the city manager and city council, could do the same with appropriations and borrowings, to invest in permanent supportive homelessness housing solutions, pertaining to construction and development from the ground up.”